Health Disparities News and Research

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Health disparities (also called healthcare inequality in some countries) refer to gaps in the quality of health and health care across racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and socioeconomic groups.

Peer counseling can help improve breastfeeding in overweight or obese women

Breastfeeding is best, but what happens when something goes wrong? And why do so many women struggle with this "natural" process even after carefully following all the well-meaning advice they've gotten from their health care providers? Not surprisingly, some women have more difficulty than others and there are many factors associated with experiencing breastfeeding problems - especially in the first week after birth.

26 Apr 2010

New federally funded programs to address health disparities in underserved communities

The increasing number of minorities diagnosed with cancer has inspired a variety of initiatives at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center focusing on minority health through research, education and community relations.

24 Apr 2010

Crystal structures of key fluorescent proteins to "light up" molecules in cells

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have determined the crystal structures of two key fluorescent proteins - one blue, one red - used to "light up" molecules in cells.

23 Apr 2010

Minorities, seniors see positives in health law; Worries persist about insurance costs

African Americans are hoping new health will improve their lives, but there's "a debate about whether the coming changes will actually ease the health disparities that black Americans face," NPR reports.

23 Apr 2010

National health care reform package promises to reduce number of uninsured Americans

The national health care reform package signed by President Obama recently promises to significantly reduce the number of uninsured Americans. According to the Congressional Budget Office, 31 million Americans who are currently uninsured will gain health care coverage under the federal legislation.

20 Apr 2010

PIPC chairman encourages racial, ethnic minority Americans to get involved in CER studies

The chairman of the Partnership to Improve Patient Care, Tony Coelho, encouraged racial and ethnic minority Americans to get more involved in comparative effectiveness research studies as a way to ensure that African Americans and other people of color have access to the latest treatment options and research available.

20 Apr 2010

Increased health care costs concerns 99.4% of employers

Results of the 2010 UBA Employer Opinion Survey indicate that nearly all (99.4 percent) top decision makers are concerned with the impact of health care costs are having or are going to have on their overall corporate costs, according to newly released data.

20 Apr 2010

Study reveals increased risk for cancer among Latino populations

New findings from epidemiology and observational studies show an increased risk for cancer among Latino populations, but unique demographic characteristics suggest the problem may be worse than currently known.

19 Apr 2010

Racial disparities in sleep and health-related quality of life

A study in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that having a sleep disturbance is associated with clinically meaningful reductions in health-related quality of life, and the magnitude of this effect varies by race and sleep disorder.

17 Apr 2010

Research roundup: Revamping NCI Clinical Trials, reducing malpractice suits, health disparities persist

A National Cancer Clinical Trials System For The 21st Century: Reinvigorating The NCI Cooperative Group Program - The "system for conducting cancer clinical trials in the United States is approaching a state of crisis," according to this report on inefficiencies and funding issues faced by the NCI's Clinical Trials Cooperative Group Program - which comprises 10 groups, more than 3,100 institutions, 14,000 investigators and more than 25,000 patients in clinical trials each year.

17 Apr 2010

Sebelius: Plan coming to reduce minority health disparities

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday that the federal government will soon have a national plan to reduce health disparities between minorities and whites, The Associated Press reports.

16 Apr 2010

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University receives funds to expand stem cell research capabilities

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has been awarded $10 million from the National Institutes of Health to expand its stem cell research capabilities. The funds will be used to create new laboratories in order to increase its already substantial base of stem cell investigators.

16 Apr 2010

Obama enforces visitation rights of same sex partners

President Obama passed a memo on Thursday while at a fundraiser in Miami which prohibits hospitals from discriminating against gay and lesbian couples in extending visitation rights. The decision seems to be inspired by the publicity given to the Lisa Pond and Janice Langbehn case. The hospital refused to allow Lisa Pond the visitation of Janice Langbehn and their children at her death bed.

16 Apr 2010

Albert Einstein College of Medicine receives grant to study link between housing status and cardiovascular health

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has been awarded $750,000 by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to study the impact of housing on the cardiovascular health of Latinos in the Bronx.

15 Apr 2010

HHS 2009 quality report shows increase in hospital-acquired infections

The Associated Press: "The Health and Human Services department's 2009 quality report to Congress found 'very little progress' on eliminating hospital-acquired infections and called for 'urgent attention' to address the shortcomings — first brought to light a decade ago."

15 Apr 2010

Over 17,000 scientists convene at AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010

Scientific breakthroughs in molecular targeting, translational cancer research and cancer prevention will take center stage when more than 17,000 scientists from around the world gather at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, April 17-21, for the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010.

13 Apr 2010

American Lung Association's report examines lung cancer among African Americans

The American Lung Association today released its report, Too Many Cases, Too Many Deaths: Lung Cancer in African Americans, a compilation of research examining lung cancer among African Americans and the need to eliminate this and other health disparities.

13 Apr 2010

Accumulation of mutated protein may explain damaging cellular behavior in Huntington's disease

In a step towards a possible treatment for Huntington's disease, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have shown for the first time that the accumulation of a mutated protein may explain damaging cellular behavior in Huntington's disease. Their research is described in the April 11 online edition of Nature Neuroscience.

12 Apr 2010

WTC FDNY Rescue Workers have not recovered normal lung function, yet

A study of nearly 13,000 rescue workers from the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) shows that the significant proportion who suffered acute lung damage after exposure to World Trade Center (WTC) dust have not recovered normal lung function in the years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

8 Apr 2010

African-American women with advanced breast cancer have poorer survival rates

African-American women have poorer survival rates than their white and Hispanic counterparts regardless of whether they receive radiation therapy following lumpectomy or mastectomy, UC Davis researchers have found.

7 Apr 2010

Health Disparities News and Research

Further Reading

Peer counseling can help improve breastfeeding in overweight or obese women

New federally funded programs to address health disparities in underserved communities

Crystal structures of key fluorescent proteins to "light up" molecules in cells

Minorities, seniors see positives in health law; Worries persist about insurance costs

National health care reform package promises to reduce number of uninsured Americans

PIPC chairman encourages racial, ethnic minority Americans to get involved in CER studies

Increased health care costs concerns 99.4% of employers

Study reveals increased risk for cancer among Latino populations

Racial disparities in sleep and health-related quality of life

Research roundup: Revamping NCI Clinical Trials, reducing malpractice suits, health disparities persist

Sebelius: Plan coming to reduce minority health disparities

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University receives funds to expand stem cell research capabilities

Obama enforces visitation rights of same sex partners

Albert Einstein College of Medicine receives grant to study link between housing status and cardiovascular health

HHS 2009 quality report shows increase in hospital-acquired infections

Over 17,000 scientists convene at AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010

American Lung Association's report examines lung cancer among African Americans

Accumulation of mutated protein may explain damaging cellular behavior in Huntington's disease

WTC FDNY Rescue Workers have not recovered normal lung function, yet

African-American women with advanced breast cancer have poorer survival rates

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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